Device for preventing ships from sinking.



N0. 644,480. Patented Fb. 27, I900.

F. L. DE VILLA. DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SHIPS FROM SINKING.

(Application filed Nov. 25, 1898.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

m: NORRIS PEYERS co, PuoraLxma.,wAsnmu1oN. a. c.

No. 644,480. Patented Feb. 27, I900. F. L. DE VILLA.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SHIPS FROM SINKING.

(Application filed Nov. 25, 1898.) (No Model.) p 6 Shoets$heet 2.

D 1 4B fleme f u wen/01'.-

ras bums PETERS w. PHQTO-LITHCL, WASHINGTON, n c.

No. 644,480. Patented Feb. 27,- I900.

F. L.'D E VILLA.

DEVICE FDR PREVENTING SHIPS FROM SINKING.

(Application filed Nov. 25, 1898.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets8heet 3.

THE Nam-us PETERS co. PHoTo-umm, wnsnmsrom D. c.

Pafented Feb. 27, 1900.

F. L. DE VILLA.

DEVICE FDR PREVENTING SHIPS FROM SINKING.

(Application filed Nov. 25, 1898.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

No. 644,480. Patented Feb. 27, 1900. F. L. DE VILLA.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SHIPS FROM SINKING.

' (Application filed Nov. 25, 1898.) (N o M o d e l 6 Sheets$heet 5.

No. 644,480. Patented Feb. 27, 1900.

F. L. DE VILLA.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SHIPS FROM SINKING.

(Application filed Nov. 25. 1898.) 4 (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCISCO L. DE VILLA, OF GUATEMALA, GUATEMALA.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SHIPS FROM SINKING;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 644,480, datedFebruary Q7, 1906 Application filed November 25, 1898. Serial No.697,484. (No model.)

1'0 (0M whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCISCO LUIs DE VILLA, M. D., a citizen of theRepublic of O0- lombia, residing at Guatemala, in the Republic ofGuatemala, have invented a new and useful device to prevent ships andvessels of all kinds from filling up with water and sinking, to be knownhereinafter as the folding pneumatic compartments, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention consists of a series of airtight cuboidal rubbercompartments distributed throughout the vessel, the accordionlikestructure of which allows of their folding up and which when broughtinto action are distended with air kept compressed (even toliquefaction) in suitable metal receptacles, When not in use, they areclosely folded against the under surface of the decks to which they areattached and kept in this position to a certain extent by atmosphericpressure on account of the partial vacuum existing in their interiors,but principally by electromechanical means, the sudden removal of whichinsures their instantaneous release necessary for distention atagivenmoment. The compressed-air receptacles are guarded by stop-cocksprovided with meters and connected with the compartments by a system ofmetal pipes. The moment a dangerous leak is sprung the stop-cockguarding the compressed-air receptacle is opened and the required amountof air is allowed to rush into and distend the compartments. Once fullydistended, by occupying the greater part of the space on board availablefor water to flow into, the compartments prevent the ingress of the samein sufficient quantity to sink the ship, and enough buoyancy is therebycommunicated to the vessel to keep her afloat indefinitely. WVhen thecompartments have accomplished their object, they are emptied, afterclosing their connection with the compressed-air receptacles, by openingtheir outlets and are folded back in their places. A great deal of spaceis gained on board by the employment of folding compartments, theybeing, moreover, less exposed to injury than metal ones.

Figure 1 represents a vertical transverse section amidships of a vesselprovided with folding pneumatic compartments, showing said compartmentsfolded. Fig. 2 is a simi-- lar view showing the compartments expanded;Fig'. 3 represents a vertical section at right angles to thelongitudinal axis of the vessel through the center of a pneumaticcompartment almost completely folded occupying a six-sided space. Fig. 4is a similar view showing the compartment distended. Fig. 5 represents avertical transverse section through the center of a folded compartmentoccupy ing a semiprismatic space on board. Fig. 6 is a similar viewshowing the compartment distended. Fig. 7 shows the under aspect ofupper wall of a compartment. Fig. 8 shows upper aspect of samestructure. Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the center of the upperwall of a compartment. Fig. 10 represents the upper aspect of the bottomof a compartment. Fig. 11 shows the under aspect of the bottom of acompartment. Fig. 12 is a vertical section through the center of thebottom of a compartment. Fig. 13 represents the upper aspect of thedisappearing supports. Fig. 14 is a slightly-oblique lateral view of thedisappearing platform and bracket support. Fig. 15 shows theconstruction of the electromagnetic spring-latch,

The folding compartments are placed throughout the ship in whichever ofthe euboidal and semiprismatic spaces formed between the hull proper, AA, the bulkheads B B, and the decks D D, Fig. 1. There is or is apt tobe at times available room for them in their distended condition. Thecompressedair receptacles T (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) are placed in adeck-house,where they are readily accessible at any time. The outlet attheir upper part is guarded by a stop-cock and a meter and is connected,by means of a metal pipe which curves downward, with the hori zontalmain pipe, from which spring the special distributing-pipes for eachcompartment, all likewise guarded at their commencement by stop-cocks.

The special pipes P come down in the thickness of the bulkheads B B anddecks D D, Figs. 3 and 4, and are provided with another stop-cock justbefore they enter the compartment for the purpose of shutting it offwithout being obliged to go all the way to the main pipe to do it. Thisstop-cock is accessible for manipulation through the small panel-door G,built in the upper layer of the deck D D. On entering a compartment thepipes penetrate the lower layer of the deck D D and the upper wall ofthe compartment 0. The compartment C is a hollow cube composed of sixwalls made of rubber having a hempen tissue woven in its substance. Thefour lateral walls are made to fold accordion-like, as is shown at R.The upper wall is supported on its under surface by a metal plate M,which contributes to secure the compartment to the deck above. Therubber bottom is also provided with a square metal plate and semilunartrestle-frame F to keep it tense and give it rigidity. O is theoutlet-valve perforating the bottom near the center.

In semiprismatic spaces, one side of which is formed by the concavebulwark, as is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the compartments have exactly thesame construction as in cuboidal ones, except that the folds of the sidenearest the bulwark are made larger than those on the opposite side,producing thereby a fanlike spread or distention and enabling thecompartment to adapt itself to the peculiar shape of the space, thebottom in this case rotating ninety degrees and approaching the bulkheadB B, as is shown in Fig. 6. No compartment should entirely fill up thespace assigned to it in places where it would be apt to obstruct theegress of people. A sufficient amount of space should then exist betweenthe compartment and the bulwark or bulkhead to allow one person at atime to pass out easily.

The top metal plate, Fig. 7, represented by the square in parallel linesM M, coincides in size and shape with the square rubber top. Thejunction of the rubber top and first fold of the lateral walls isrepresented by the dotted square R R, the square L L indicating theinner and lower limit of the uppermost fold and its junction with thesecond. The parallel lines forming the square M M represent the bordersof the metal plate, beveled at the expense of the under surface to allowthe lateral walls to fold up closer. P shows the entrance of theair-pipe and its shoulder-ring. The upper surface of the rubber top(shown by the square R R, Fig. 8) has a circular orifice in the center Pfor the entrance of the air-pipe and several rows of small circularapertures E E for the passage of the attaching screw-bolts connectedwith the top plate.

The detailed construction and relative position of the structuresforming the roof of a compartment when attached to the deck above areshown in Fig. 9. D represents the under layer of the deck; R, shaded inparallel lines, the rubber top and beginning of the first lateral fold;M, the metal top plate, with beveled edges, fitting accurately into theangle formed by the junction of the rubber top and the first fold of thelateral wall. Firmly adherent to this plate and projecting upward fromit are seen the screw-bolts E, which after passing through the rubbertop and under layer of the deck are capped on the other side by broadnuts, thus attaching the com partment firmly to the deck. Theconduitpipe perforates the three above-mentioned structures and oneither side of them is firmly fixed by means of a shoulder-ring.

The bottom metal plate (represented in Fig. 10 by the square in parallellines F F F) coincides in size and shape with the square rubber bottomand serves to keep the latter tense and flat. The junction of the lowerfold and the rubber bottom is represented by the dotted square R R, thesquare L L indicating the inner and upper limit of the lower fold andits junction with the 'next fold above. The parallel lines forming thesquare F F F represent the metal plate, the borders of which are beveledat the expense of the upper surface to allow the lateral walls to foldup closer. The cross-shaped structure in the center is thetrestle-frame, riveted through its flat shoulder to the upper surface ofthe plate, to which it gives rigidity, thereby keeping it from saggingdown in the center. Near one of its angles, and also near the adjacentborder of the plate, are seen the outlet screwvalves 0 O.

The under aspect of the bottom of a compartment is shown in Fig. 11 bythe square R R, O 0 indicating the outlets.

The relative positions of the structures forming the bottom of acompartment are shown in Fig. 12. F represents the metal plate andtrestle-frame, its beveled edge fitting accurately into the angle formedat the junction of the lower fold and the rubber bottom; R, the rubberbottom and part of the lower fold; O, the outlet near the center. Themetal plates are firmly cement-ed throughout their whole extent to therubber wall which they support in order to make the comparmentabsolutely air-tight.

The disappearing supports employed for the purpose of keeping thecompartments steady and as close against the ceilings as possible aremetal bars l-I, Fig. 13, placed diagonally across the corners formed bythe junction of the bulkheads and the bulwarks. They are riveted to thebulkhead or bulwark by one extremity, which is provided with anaxle-joint J. The bar is made fiat from above downward, except at thestationary extremity, and has on its upper surface two cuboidalprojections parallel to the sides forming the compartment-bottom, (shownin dotted outline,) which rests upon the bar. Their object is to keepthe compartment steady. The free end of the bar rests upon thequadrilateral disappearing platform I. The small triangular portion ofthe upper surface of this platform upon which the bar does not rest isslightly and abruptly raised from the rest of said surface and at rightangles to it for the purpose of further steadying the diagonal bar. Thisplatform I, Fig. 14, is secured by means of hinges to the bulkhead,where a quadrilateral berth I I is cut out for its reception, when itfolds down and is supported by the disappearing-bracket frame K. Thisframe is attached by its two lower extremities to two brass platesriveted to the bulkhead by means of a spring-joint Q. The tendency ofthis spring is to pull the bracket downward, which leaves the platformunsupported, but is prevented from doing so by the bolt of theelectromagnetic spring-latch N, which when acting passes through anaperture in the triangular projection existing on the inner aspect ofthe bracket-bars at their lower extremities. The electromagneticspring-latch, Fig. 15, is constructed as follows: A square brass frame UU, which is continuous with or attached to the brass plate of the jointQ, Fig. 14, serves to support the whole. This frame has at one corner asheath in which runs horizontally the bolt V, which when acting locksand retains the bracket in supporting position. The bolt is providedwith a knob, which projects through and runs in a slit cut in the sheathand is used as a handle in shifting it. X is a spring which tendscontinually to draw the bolt back into the lock, and consequently out ofthe aperture in the bracket-bar. This is prevented ordinarily by thesteel springhammer Z, the angular extremity of which in its usualposition maintained by the small traction-spring, which connects it withthe frame, fits into an angular groove cut into the bolt and its sheath.Out of this groove the hammer is drawn when its other limb is attractedby the electromagnet Y. The attachments for the wires leading thecurrent into the coil are shown on the frame near Y marked They end in aseriesof contact-buttons, one for each compartment, placed near thecompressed-air cylinders. In those corners formed by a bulkhead and abulwark when the curvature of the bulwark is small the fixed extremityof the disappearing bars is attached to the bulwark and not to thebulkhead, in order that the downward rotation of the free end of the barwhen released may take place unobstructed by the incurving bulwark.

The disappearing supports work as follows: The correspondingcontact-button is pushed, and an electric current from a battery passesthrough the coil Y, Fig. 15. The soft-iron core in its interior isthereby converted into a temporary magnet, which consequently attractsthe free arm of the steel spring-hammer Z. The hammer swings on itspivot until it comes in contact 'with the core, and its other extremityis necessarily withdrawn from the groove cut in the bolt V. This boltbeing now released is drawn in by the tractionspring X, and consequentlyreleases the bracket K, which snaps down, pulled by the spring at thejoint Q. The platform I, now left unsupported, folds down, swinging onits hinges through its own weight and that of the bar and compartmentcombined and goes into its berth in the bulwark. The bar itself nowlacking support at its free end falls from the horizontal to thevertical position, swinging around the axis of the joint J This suddencollapse of the diagonal bars from under the four corners of thecompartment leaves it unsupported. It descends, however, onlymoderately, owing to the partial vacuum existing in its interior, but isnow ready for expansion.

To readjust the collapsed supports after emptying and replacing thecompartments, the successive structures are brought back in inverseorder into supporting position.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States 1. The combination with spaces, or chambers, in a shipshull, of the foldable expansible air-compartments, composed of a rigidtop plate which is bolted to the ceiling of said chambers, a bracedbottom plate, and accordion-like sides connecting such top and bottomportions in such manner as to exclude air and water, and means forforcing air into said compartments, as shown and described.

2. The combination, with spaces or chambers in a ships hull, of foldableexpansible air-compartments which are permanently secured to theceilings of said chambers, and provided with a rigid bottom, of barshinged at one end below the ceiling and adapted to engage a wall-supportat the other end, as shown and described, whereby said bars extendhorizontally beneath the compartments, to support them when collapsed,and are adapted to be readily dropped to release said compartments, asshown and described.

3. The combination, with spaces or cham bers in a ships hull, offoldable, expansible compartments which are permanently secured to theceilings thereof, bars hinged to side walls of said chambersforupholding said compartments, shelves I hinged to opposite walls, andadapted, when in horizontal position, to support the free ends of saidbars, hinged brackets or braces K adapted to engage and support theshelves, and means for locking and releasing the said brackets when itis desired to allow the shelves and bars to fall, and thus permitexpansion of the aircompartments, as shown and described.

F. L. DE VILLA.

Witnesses:

RICARDO VASQUEZ, ALEJANDRO ARDILAK.

